Reasons to invest in a data monitoring tool for IoT success

Across industries, valuable data is being collected but often left unused, resulting in missed opportunities for higher profits, better decision-making, and enhanced customer experiences. Without the right tools to monitor and act on this data in real time, businesses struggle with challenges like unexpected downtime, limited visibility into operations, and lost chances to showcase their value through measurable results.

Data monitoring tools give you real-time insights into your IoT systems, helping you tackle issues before they become full-blown problems. Whether you’re monitoring equipment health, improving decision-making, or reducing operational costs, data monitoring tools are a must-have for modern IoT setups.

Let’s dive into why they’re essential for success.

What is data monitoring?

At its core, data monitoring is about staying on top of your IoT systems by continuously collecting and analyzing data to detect issues and maintain performance. It’s what keeps everything running smoothly, helping you focus on growth instead of firefighting.

A Viam fleet dashboard where you can see information about your machines across your fleet to monitor and triage issues.

How it differs from data observability:

Data observability is about making data accessible and complete across your system, enabling teams to analyze and troubleshoot complex issues.
Data monitoring, on the other hand, takes that data and uses it to deliver real-time, actionable insights that ensure smooth operations.

Think of observability as the system that collects all the pieces of your IoT puzzle. Monitoring is the tool that alerts you when one piece is out of place, so you can act quickly.

Learn more about data observability through this guide.

The problem: What happens without data monitoring?

When you don’t have a data monitoring tool, problems can snowball fast. Here are some of the biggest challenges businesses face:

1. Unplanned downtime

IoT systems are the backbone of many operations, so when something breaks, productivity grinds to a halt. And without monitoring, these failures often come out of nowhere.

No early warnings: Without monitoring, you can’t predict when a machine is about to fail. For example, a factory might not notice a motor is overheating until it’s too late.
Wasted resources: Emergency repairs and downtime are costly—not just in terms of money but also in time lost that could be spent innovating or scaling.

The fix: Predictive maintenance tools leverage real-time data to detect potential issues, such as worn-out parts or performance anomalies. Addressing these problems early helps prevent costly disruptions, reduces downtime, and extends equipment lifespan.

Visibility into real-time data of the performance of an HVAC unit. — Viam worked with a national storage chain to drive predictive maintenance & transform operations, leading to a 15% decrease in the maintenance budget and 50% reduction in unplanned downtime within the first 3 months.

2. Lack of remote visibility

For businesses managing IoT devices across multiple locations, keeping track of performance can feel impossible.

Manual checks are slow: Without remote monitoring, teams have to physically visit sites to inspect equipment, which eats up time and resources.
Delayed problem resolution: Issues often go unnoticed until someone reports them, making you reactive instead of proactive

Imagine this: A restaurant equipment supplier could remotely monitor all its machines, identifying anomalies and diagnosing simple issues like a power reset. With AI-driven insights and secure, encrypted connections, they can pinpoint root causes and push updates without ever sending a technician on-site, saving time and ensuring peak operational efficiency.

Array of various food ingredients in their respective trays in a fast casual restaurant chain. — Viam worked with a fast casual restaurant chain to implement remote troubleshooting for their machines, reducing downtime and identifying root causes before repairs. This streamlined process improved both employee efficiency and customer satisfaction.

This approach is particularly valuable for devices operating on the edge—such as those on marine vessels, in manufacturing facilities, and in remote agricultural settings—enabling technicians to remotely diagnose issues, guide on-site staff through solutions, or arrive prepared with the exact fix when visiting the machinery.

3. Missed opportunities for data-driven marketing

Your IoT data isn’t just operational—it’s a powerful storytelling tool. Without monitoring, businesses miss out on insights that can drive marketing and prove ROI.

Limited metrics: Gathering stats manually, like uptime or efficiency gains, becomes time-consuming.
Harder to scale: Expanding to new clients or markets is difficult when you don’t have the data to back up your claims. Detailed performance stats not only showcase tangible results but also enhance credibility, making it easier to pitch solutions and close deals with confidence.

An automated coffee machine in action, efficiently brewing coffee with minimal employee involvement, symbolizing streamlined operations and increased productivity.

The potential: With monitoring tools, a company could show how its machines increased coffee production by 40% at a franchise, using those metrics to win bigger clients.

4. Ineffective decision-making

When IoT data is scattered or siloed, it’s hard to see the big picture.

Data remains fragmented: Businesses can’t integrate data sources like weather forecasts and machine outputs, which leads to missed insights.
Opportunities are lost: Without monitoring, trends and inefficiencies often go unnoticed, holding back innovation.

The solution: Canyon Runner, a charter fishing company, faced challenges in managing data from diverse sources like marine electronics, radar, sensors, and NOAA weather data.

With Viam’s platform, they unified these data streams into a single interface, enabling them to track operations, monitor safety metrics, and plan fuel-efficient routes more effectively. This holistic view transformed decision-making, improving both safety and operational efficiency.

Why data monitoring tools are essential for modern businesses

In today’s data-driven world, the difference between thriving and merely surviving often comes down to how effectively businesses can turn raw information into action. Data monitoring tools don’t just keep systems running—they unlock efficiencies, reduce costs, and enable smarter decision-making that drives real results.

Here’s how investing in data monitoring can transform your business:

1. Increased productivity

Data monitoring automates repetitive tasks, freeing up time for employees to focus on high-value activities. For example, predictive maintenance features allow businesses to service machines before issues occur, minimizing downtime.

2. Cost savings

Monitoring tools reduce unnecessary expenses by enabling proactive maintenance and remote troubleshooting. Companies can avoid costly technician visits for minor issues, instead resolving them remotely or before they escalate.

3. Improved decision-making

By combining data from multiple sources, monitoring tools empower businesses to make informed decisions. For instance, combining weather data with IoT machine performance can help optimize routes or schedules in logistics operations.

Canyon Runner dashboard showing real-time data for fleet management by integrating with Viam — Viam enabled Canyon Runner to integrate data from diverse sources into a single view, including marine electronics, sensors, radar, GPS, AIS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) climate and ocean data, and much more.

4. Competitive advantage

Businesses using monitoring tools can leverage insights to outperform competitors. Real-time data helps them anticipate trends, improve operations, and deliver better services, keeping them ahead in their industry.

These tools don’t just improve internal processes—they also provide the measurable results and statistics that can make all the difference when pitching to new clients, demonstrating value, and building trust. By turning data into a compelling story, businesses gain a critical edge in competitive markets.

5. Enhanced customer satisfaction

Nowadays, businesses across industries depend on positive reviews and customer sentiment to attract new clients and build loyalty. Proactive monitoring enables faster issue resolution, leading to happier customers who are more likely to return, share positive experiences, and recommend your business to others.

According to McKinsey, companies prioritizing exceptional customer experiences can see revenue growth rates 2–3 times higher than their industry peers, showing just how valuable happy customers can be.

Chart of revenue increasing 2x more for customer experience leaders across industries than "customer experience laggards" over time. — Positive reviews of companies across industries demonstrate greater than 2x revenue growth rates.
[Graph pulled from McKinsey & Company, 2023, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/experience-led-growth-a-new-way-to-create-value]

Picture this: A fast-casual restaurant uses AI-powered monitoring to keep things running smoothly during the lunch rush. Machines like dispensers and refrigerators are fine-tuned in real-time, making sure ingredients are perfectly portioned, and everything stays at the right temperature. Orders go out faster, the food’s always on point, and customers leave happy—even during the busiest times.

The role of AI and machine learning

AI and ML further enhance the power of data monitoring tools by:

Optimizing operations: AI can analyze data to adjust machine settings dynamically, improving efficiency during peak periods.
Personalizing customer experiences: For example, AI might recommend personalized menu adjustments in a restaurant setting based on customer preferences.
Predicting issues: AI models trained on historical data can identify patterns that signal impending failures, allowing businesses to act before problems occur.

As an example, with the help of Viam, venues like UBS Arena plan to use AI-enhanced data monitoring to streamline operations such as concession line management, creating seamless guest experiences.

Security: An essential consideration

While data monitoring provides incredible advantages, security must be a top priority. Many companies rely on piecemeal solutions that leave systems vulnerable to breaches or compliance violations.

A robust data monitoring tool should include built-in security features, such as:

Data encryption: Protect sensitive information at all times.
Access controls: Ensure only authorized personnel can access specific data.
Role-based permissions: Assign appropriate levels of access based on user roles.

A diagram showing Viam’s security framework, where users, machines, and client applications connect securely using encrypted authentication, unique secrets, and TLS/WebRTC protocols for seamless protection.

Much like proactive maintenance prevents system failures, proactive security measures reduce risks and ensure compliance, saving businesses time and resources.

How Viam enables smarter IoT monitoring

Viam offers a suite of powerful, flexible tools designed to simplify IoT data monitoring and unlock actionable insights. Here’s how Viam’s solutions help businesses overcome common challenges:

Predictive maintenance

With Viam’s predictive maintenance capabilities, businesses can monitor the health of their IoT devices in real-time. By identifying potential issues before they escalate, companies can reduce downtime and extend the life of their equipment.

Learn more about Viam's predictive maintenance solutions.

Remote troubleshooting

Viam’s remote troubleshooting tools empower businesses to diagnose and resolve issues from anywhere. This reduces the time and cost associated with sending technicians to inspect devices in person.

Viam’s “All Machines” dashboard, showing which machines are online, offline, or awaiting setup.

Smart teleoperation

Viam enables businesses to remotely monitor and control IoT devices, reducing the need for costly on-site interventions. This functionality is particularly useful for troubleshooting simple issues or optimizing operations across multiple locations.

An example of Viam’s in-app visualizations with a few time series charts related to monitoring temperature and other variables.

Quality assurance and intelligent actuation

By combining data monitoring with intelligent actuation, Viam ensures IoT systems perform at their best. From automating processes to ensuring consistent quality, these tools drive efficiency and reliability.

Customizable and secure

Viam’s platform includes built-in security features, such as data encryption and role-based access controls, ensuring businesses can trust their monitoring solutions without additional configuration.

A look at Viam's security architecture four pillars which include authentication, encryption, compliance, and data privacy. — A look at the four pillars that make up Viam’s security architecture.

Stay ahead in IoT with smarter data monitoring

Data monitoring tools are no longer optional for IoT success—they’re essential. By addressing key challenges such as downtime, lack of visibility, and missed opportunities, these tools empower businesses to optimize performance, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Viam’s data monitoring solutions take it one step further, offering flexibility, built-in security, and AI-enhanced capabilities to ensure businesses stay ahead in an increasingly connected world.

Ready to take control of your IoT systems? Explore Viam’s data monitoring solutions or book a demo with one of our Solutions Engineers today.